Connected
I was born in the summer of 1965, the same year my eldest sister was accepted to Beijing University. A year later, the Cultural Revolution shut down universities for a decade. I was the youngest child, and 18 years later, I became the second daughter to attend college. My brother and other sister, born between us, never had that chance and stayed in our village.
My mother was intelligent, kind, and resourceful. She taught herself to sew and made us beautiful embroidered clothing and shoes. But she never taught us, because she did not want us burdened by hard labor. She never turned away anyone in need, and there was always food for anyone who came to our door.
My Nainai had bound feet and never went beyond the village. My mother endured foot binding only briefly, until the pain made her cry so much that her mother allowed her to stop. Because of that freedom, she could visit us often by train and bus.
My mother's strength and generosity shaped me. Today, my husband and I run a bed and breakfast in Homer, Alaska. For over 20 seasons, we have welcomed travelers from more than 40 countries. From a small town in northern China to the edge of Alaska, life has carried me farther than I ever imagined.